tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-291193172018-05-29T02:03:38.261-04:00A Better Dog BlogWe've Moved! You can see content here but only up to a point. Please...
Come visit at WWW.ABETTERPET.COMRachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.comBlogger171125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-77154468718770985352010-07-09T09:14:00.003-04:002011-08-16T21:34:00.271-04:00We've Moved.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y21n8Dx6O4g/TksaOJD9RgI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/QDUB2bmtn-0/s1600/Bosco-Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="77" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y21n8Dx6O4g/TksaOJD9RgI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/QDUB2bmtn-0/s400/Bosco-Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've moved. Now that we've unpacked, settled in and gotten comfortable in our new home, we wanted to invite you on over. Great memories from this blogger site, but all the previous posts from here as well as more current [and certainly future ones] are now woven into the<b> New And Improved A Better Pet LLC Website</b>. <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/">Come on over and visit</a>. Leave us messages, subscribe to our feed, join our fan page, just check us out. And don't forget to <a href="http://abetterpet.pinnaclecart.com/">visit the store</a> as well for your higher end, quality dog and cat needs!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Management</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-34726253440397593552010-04-07T12:06:00.004-04:002010-04-07T12:10:59.854-04:00TOOLS OF THE TRADE – EQUIPMENT & TOYS<h3><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Thursday, April 15&nbsp; 6:15 – 7:45 pm</span></h3><div><div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_162" style="width: 474px;"><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-162 " src="http://www.abetterpet.com/abetterpet2/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Toolboxes-300x225.jpg" title="Toolboxes" /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">Knowing how to use the right tools for the job comes in very handy, even in dog training. A lively and informative discussion reviewing the PROPER USE and COST EFFECTIVE BENEFIT of some of my favorite <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/store/training-equipment">tools</a> in a positive dog training approach. When understood and used correctly, equipment and toys are invaluable in the training of reliable dogs both at home and out and about. Learn how to start <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking_outside_the_box">thinking outside of the box</a> and learn about inexpensive, simple solutions to prevent or fix common dog behavioral problems. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Any equipment/toys purchased the night of class receives a 15% discount</span>. DOGS OPTIONAL / NOT REQUIRED BUT DUE TO LIMITED SPACE ADVANCED PERMISSION TO BRING DOGS REQUIRED. Maximum 5 dogs.</div><strong>LOCATION:</strong><br /><address><a href="http://www.groovygrooming.org/location.html">Groovy Grooming </a></address><address>12908 Larchmere Blvd.</address><address>Cleveland, OH 44120 (near Shaker Sq.)</address><address><br /></address><address></address><address>To register, with or without a dog, please <a href="mailto:%20rachel@abetterpet.com">email </a>or call 216] 321-7654. Advance registration required. No guarantee walk ins will be accommodated.</address></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-62068991126693916862010-04-06T17:47:00.001-04:002010-04-06T17:47:27.142-04:00Classes & Lectures Starting Up Soon!<div align="right" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SPRING GROUP SESSIONS START APRIL 12</span> <br /><div align="left"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span>PUPPY KINDERGARTEN</b> &amp; <b>PUPPY NEXT STEP</b> both teach basic manners and allow for off leash social play for dogs in SIX (6) weekly 75 minute sessions. <i>There is an expectation of completed homework assignments</i>. Classes are fun, educational and informative. You'll learn basic skills -- reliable recall (or coming when called), sit, down, stay, go and leash manners. Plenty of time for off leash play which is key to developing social graces for dogs of all sizes and breed types. Families are welcome but children 6 and under require an additional adult for supervision. </div><div align="left">Classes are held INDOORS ON MONDAY EVENINGS&nbsp;in the basement gym at the South Euclid Board of Education Building (SELREC) at 5044 Mayfield Rd.,located on the SW corner of Richmond and Mayfield Rds. in Lyndhurst,OH. Free and ample parking lot is accessible from Richmond Road.&nbsp;&nbsp; </div><div align="left">REGISTRATION THROUGH SELREC OFFICE <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">• 216</span>-691-2246 M- F,8:30 - 4:30pm </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>SPRING GROUP CLASS DETAILS</b></span> </div><div align="left"><b>Mondays: April 12, 19, 26th; May 3, 10 and 17th.&nbsp;</b> </div><div align="left"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Puppy Kindergarten</b>: For pups btwn 8 wks-5 mos <i>at start of class</i></span><span style="color: blue;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Monday&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 7:45-9:00</span><b><span style="color: #339966;"></span></b> pm<br /><b><span style="color: #339966;">Puppy Next Step</span></b><span style="color: #339966;">:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For puppies 5 months to 2 years <i>at start of class</i><span style="color: red;"></span></span><span style="color: #339966;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monday&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 6:15-7:30 </span>pm</div><div align="left"><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="100" mce_src="/files/./KidDownDogClass.jpg" src="http://www.abetterpet.com/files/KidDownDogClass.jpg" width="112" /> </div><span style="color: #339966;"> <br /></span> </div><div align="right" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #339966;">If your dog is 4 - 5 months at start of class, contact <a href="mailto:rachel@abetterpet.com" mce_href="mailto:rachel@abetterpet.com">rachel</a> to discuss best level fo</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #339966;">r your dog.</span> </div><span style="color: red;">ADVANCE REGISTRATION THROUGH SELREC REQUIRED.</span> <br /><b><span style="color: red;">Call SELREC:&nbsp;</span><span style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">216)&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: red;">691-2246. &nbsp;Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm to register / request a catalog.</span></b> <br /><div align="right" style="text-align: center;">For more information about the classes themselves, </div><div align="right" style="text-align: center;">contact <a href="mailto:rachel@abetterpet.com" mce_href="mailto:rachel@abetterpet.com">rachel@abetterpet.com</a> ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••&nbsp; </div></div><div align="right" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">ALSO NEW IN 2010</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">APRIL/MAY LECTURE SERIES -&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #484848;"><a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/files/Lecture_Series_Spring_2010_0.pdf" mce_href="/files/Lecture_Series_Spring_2010_0.pdf" target="_blank" title="Lecture Series Spring 2010">CLICK HERE FOR PDF</a></span></span> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Series include sessions on pet loss/bereavement, equipment clinic, career alternatives in the world of animals, kids and animals, and much more. &nbsp;</div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-56887576716814158012010-04-01T09:33:00.000-04:002010-04-01T09:33:57.459-04:00National Stress Awareness Month -- No Fooling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S7SbdIEB4MI/AAAAAAAAA4o/e0OfHJxRErs/s1600/BorderCollieMountains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S7SbdIEB4MI/AAAAAAAAA4o/e0OfHJxRErs/s320/BorderCollieMountains.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There are only twelve months in a year and 365 days in most of them. Assignations for months and days for various interest groups to raise awareness abound. This month is <a href="http://www.stresscure.com/hrn/april.html">Stress Awareness Month</a> and I phool you not.<br /><br />I know I have animals around me -- my own pets and an awareness of nature and animals in the world -- because their presence, antics, focus on the things in life that really matter -- reduce my stress. They of course add joy, motivation for exercise, a reason to sweep obsessively and a grounding that keeps me centered.<br /><br />More often than not the clients I work with are themselves stressed out not just from life but from the dog in their life. Helping clients adjust and tipping the dog's (or cat) presence from a source of stress to a source of stress relief is my main mission in the training/education I provide.<br /><br />There are various coping mechanisms that go to the root of the problem to help de-stress ourselves. You probably know the ones that work best for you. Whether you choose to medicate to alleviate symptoms, work on modifying your life to reduce stress using methods that resonate for you, or even a combination, many are at a loss for how to help their animals.<br /><br />In addition to understanding dogs in general and your dog in particular and learning how to become the benevolent leader, there are other resources that might help reduce your dogs stress -- whether it's when you're leaving your dog alone or helping your dog cope with stressors that are in the environment, going holistic is the best way to get at the root cause.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S7SfXiy3dJI/AAAAAAAAA4w/-ZOKYkYFuoE/s1600/BachFlower1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S7SfXiy3dJI/AAAAAAAAA4w/-ZOKYkYFuoE/s320/BachFlower1.jpg" /></a></div>Two proactive ways include the use of <a href="http://www.petproductadvisor.com/store/mc/music-my-pet-dog-2.aspx?utm_source=dogcrazynews001et&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Musicmypetdog&amp;utm_content">appropriate calming music&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and Bach Flower Essences. To learn more about becoming the benevolent leader, <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/services/training/puppy-class">sign up for upcoming spring puppy kindergarten and puppy next step classes</a>.Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-27278458013615777232010-03-19T18:24:00.000-04:002010-03-19T18:24:58.204-04:00Walk the dog, Find a Cure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S6PtxeiCptI/AAAAAAAAA30/mk4luS50Hx4/s1600-h/Sophie-Pajama-Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S6PtxeiCptI/AAAAAAAAA30/mk4luS50Hx4/s320/Sophie-Pajama-Day.jpg" /></a></div>Today marks my youngest daughter's 11th birthday. I remember her birth so vividly. Sophie is a remarkably poised, competent and amazing being [as are her older sisters, ages 13 and 17]. A very old and nurturing soul is she.<br /><br />Bringing children into the world is a daunting prospect. But you hope to raise them to go out in the world.<br /><br />Bringing a dog into your home can also be a daunting project. But you hope to raise them to live a long and happy life with you and not go out into the world.<br /><br />Dogs don't usually live as long as people. But we give them our hearts and our souls. We whisper our secrets into their silken ears and take comfort in their ability to enjoy life's simple pleasures. A good scratch. A long walk. A cozy cuddle. A welcome greeting. Yes of course we curse their sometimes unruly ways. But we love them. Yet they usually leave us before we want them to go. That is the usual order of things and an agreement we enter into knowingly.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S6Pw1n9ai9I/AAAAAAAAA38/zPBP4IXNTdo/s1600-h/LilyNYDay2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S6Pw1n9ai9I/AAAAAAAAA38/zPBP4IXNTdo/s200/LilyNYDay2010.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I lost Lily to cancer just over two months ago. But she was 10 and had lived a good and long life. &nbsp;She lives on in my memory and I am fortunate to have many of those.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ruffingmontessori.net/Cure_search_poster_Olivia.pdf">Olivia Crowley was 10 years old when she died</a>. She was stricken with cancer at the tender age of 7. For 3 years she battled her illness with an indefatigable spirit. Bright, optimistic, funny and a fellow dog lover, I had the great good fortune to meet Olivia when she was partnered in service with Charlie, a golden retriever. A pooch who buoyed her spirit when it was flagging, who listened to her secrets, played secret games and gave unconditional positive feedback. Olivia touched me deeply. Not because she was sick, but she was yet another wise old soul way who just made the world she was in a better place.<br /><br />Please join me on the <a href="http://host.curesearch.org/site/TR/Walk/Milestones?px=1401461&amp;pg=personal&amp;fr_id=1260">Curesearch walk</a>&nbsp;-- with or without your well behaved dog --&nbsp;on May 8 at University Circle. Or donate -- whatever you can afford -- to A Better Pet Pets team. &nbsp;Follow on<a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=358097012488&amp;index=1"> Facebook</a>, tell your friends and family, and together let's make a difference.Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-89223785287668864702010-03-13T09:20:00.000-05:002010-03-13T09:20:06.782-05:00And you thought chewies were just for puppies!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S5pXFHLl8lI/AAAAAAAAA3s/IGUmgq8aQv8/s1600-h/BullyStickYorkie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S5pXFHLl8lI/AAAAAAAAA3s/IGUmgq8aQv8/s320/BullyStickYorkie.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 11.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 17.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did you know that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 3 have gum disease? And gum disease is also one of the most preventable and treatable diseases. I actually spent a few years figuring out <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/queen-is-dead-long-live-queen.html">Lily</a>'s previous horror show smell that often emanated out of her mouth.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 17.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twice I had her go under anesthesia for a full teeth cleaning but the problem returned. Finally, with the diagnostic skills of <a href="http://www.shakeranimalclinic.com/staff.html#p">Dr. James Preuter at Shaker Animal Clinic</a>, I discovered that she had a low level bacterial gut infection that came roaring through her oral cavity when she panted or yawned or just opened her mouth. Room clearing odor. Friends leaving early because of it odor. Finally resolved by giving her low doses of <a href="http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-7644-Flagyl+Oral.aspx?drugid=7644&amp;drugname=Flagyl+Oral&amp;source=3">flagyl</a> for the rest of her life which treated the actual problem.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 17.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that was more of an exception and gum disease is real. What can you do about it? Tartar contributes to gum disease, so controlling tartar buildup will help control gum disease. Two simple things that you can do to help prevent this very common problem in your dog:&nbsp;</span></div><ol style="list-style-type: decimal;"><li style="font: 11.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Daily brushing </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.&nbsp; Brushing your dog's teeth every day (or at least 3 times a week) will work to remove tartar. Start by offering your dog a taste of the veterinary toothpaste. Position the bristles of the brush along the gum line of the upper back teeth and angle slightly up, so the bristles get under the gum line. Work from back to front, making small circles along the gum lines. It should take you less than 30 seconds to brush your pet's teeth.&nbsp;</span></li></ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Or you could say that isn't going to happen because you just aren't going to get into that habit. Another supplemental or different option is</span></span></div><ol style="list-style-type: decimal;"><li style="font: 11.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tartar control chewies</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. &nbsp;The best solution I have found, and the thing I sell the most of, are <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/products/toys-and-treats/bully-sticks">bully sticks</a>. Organic (made from the part of bull that a cow doesn't have), digestible, highly desired, non perishable and great for dogs of all ages and sizes, this chewie is hands down the best for your goal to:</span></li></ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">a. Entertain a teething puppy</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">b. Prevent tartar build up</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">c. Entertain a dog of any age.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Tell me you were inspired to order <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/products/toys-and-treats/bully-sticks">bullies</a> from A Better Pet by putting <b>TARTAR PREVENTOR</b> in the comments section of your order form and you will get FREE SHIPPING and a little surprise if you are a new customer and order a minimum of 25 bullies.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></span></div><ol style="list-style-type: decimal;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"> </span></span></div></ol>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-53635666965514333982010-03-09T09:23:00.001-05:002010-03-09T09:41:27.329-05:00Why The Dog Whisperer Whispers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S5ZLRn-mXQI/AAAAAAAAA3k/Yce-mweLi2A/s1600-h/WackyToso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S5ZLRn-mXQI/AAAAAAAAA3k/Yce-mweLi2A/s320/WackyToso.jpg" /></a></div>Just finished up a 6 week series of Puppy Kindergarten and Puppy Next Step with<a href="http://abetterpet.com/services/training/puppy-class"> the next series</a> slated to begin next month.<br /><br />Shy dogs learning to play and overcome some fears; over the top pups learned to tone it down and play nice; people learning a peaceful, fun and non violent way to train.<br /><br />Spring is definitely afoot. Sunshine, melting snow, blue skies, chirping birds -- an assault on all the senses. In a good way.<br /><br />View <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXuj3Kss9c4">this hilarious clip from Charlie Murphy</a>&nbsp;which says with laugh out loud humor the real secret to the Dog Whisperer. An assault on the senses. In a bad way. Shout it out -- positive training works!Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-49003102476851162142010-03-06T10:48:00.000-05:002010-03-06T10:48:44.486-05:00Behavioral Mutations Revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S5HgIlChQAI/AAAAAAAAA3U/ZnemrZrJT9g/s1600-h/Bean-and-Trip-No-Lily-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S5HgIlChQAI/AAAAAAAAA3U/ZnemrZrJT9g/s320/Bean-and-Trip-No-Lily-2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/queen-is-9-and-i-fixed-conundrum.html"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Lily the Queen</b></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span>died nearly 8 weeks ago. The historically sound triumvirate - 3 kids, 3 cats, 3 dogs -- has been <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/fang-shway.html">fang shwayed</a> into imbalance with 3 kids, 3 cats, and just 2 dogs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>[Trip (L) and Bean feel the void left by Lily].&nbsp;</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From the very beginning when she came into my life as a gangly rescue pup -- serendipitiously and unplanned in January of 2000, Lily kept benevolent control over the human and animal gang. My aide-de-camp. An organic nanny cam. Chase games with Bean. Tolerance of Trip's terrier antics. A jarring habit of one <b>LOUD</b> bark at the cats if they walked too close to her while she was resting. Never phased the cats. Freaked me out when I wasn't prepared. I miss it. <br /><br />When she hit adulthood, she did become protective and reactive on occasion [she nipped at my sister's visiting dog once but I take responsibility --- they had been good friends on previous visits, I have the video!] which I worked with in the last four years of her life once I understood all the triggers and ensured safety.&nbsp; In all her orchestrations of the Better Pet posse that lived in my house, permanent and visiting members, she never resorted to so much as a lip lift. Elegant. Graceful. Feminine. Strong. Athletic. Gently persuasive. Calming. Gosh I miss that.<br /><br />The Boys, Trip and Bean, do all those things boy dogs do. Marking and one upmarkingsmanship --- this time of the year all the more obvious by the yellow discolored snow streaks in the piles that abound. Being goofy and find it difficult to multi task. They rarely ask for directions but always end up following my lead. They both like to push their heads into my hand for rubbing; Lily would just calmly insist without force that her head be rubbed.<br /><br />Two weeks ago, my 10 yo daughter Sophie and her sleepover friend Schuyler were happy to be spending much of the following day together. The tweenager energy spilling out of them after waffles (too much syrup?) needed venting. I sent the girls off into the great outdoors, each with a dog on a leash and a bag of treats.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Some 45 minutes later a frantic Sophie called from her cell phone. Her hysterical rant produced only a few legible words -- <i>dog fight, blood, lots of blood</i> -- and her location -- her elementary school playground and fields.&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Arriving minutes later with my oldest daughter Zena in tow, all four -- the two girls and two dogs -- were sitting calmly on a large hill of deep snow. As we neared the group we could see the snow flecked with quite a bit of blood. NOTE: I remained incredibly calm -- both because I knew it wasn't serious and because I didn't want the kids to be any more freaked out than they already were. I inspected both dogs. I found a few scrapes and shallow puncture wounds. I kicked snow over the bloodstains.&nbsp; Later I would find a gash on the inside of Trip's rear left thigh and a cut near Bean's right eye. None of the injuries were serious but there was an edge in the air.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Moving slowly to maintain calm, I assured the girls that it was boys being boys and much like human brothers fighting. I took responsibility because I had been developing an awareness of an unsettlement with the dogs. I shouldn't have had the girls take both without me.&nbsp; I explained that the dogs were rudderless without Lily. <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/behavioral-mutations.html">Behavioral mutations</a> were afoot and it was an ongoing process. That even though I often took just Trip and Bean on walks without Lily, her presence in the home was was kept balance on the pack. Her death was a loss for all of us to deal with, however we needed to, including the animals. But the good news is that, in terms of this fight, like human boys, usually, once it was over it was over. And it was over despite the trail of blood and the cuts and punctures.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We took the dogs home, I bathed them up, slathered their shallow punctures with neosporin and really observed. I've been observing ever since.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Trip and Bean have not had any issues since The Fight. The next day Sophie and I returned to the scene of the crime with just Bean. We played on the playground with Bean -- having him do what I call Playground Agility -- and he was drawn to the area in the snow where I had covered the blood. His usually <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/touch-as-recall.html">very reliable recall</a> was seriously compromised -- he couldn't stop sniffing deeply into the snow. What was his plodder brain processing? It's at times like this I wish I had <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/i-love-dug.html">one of those translators ala one of my favorite movies, UP</a>!<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Both dogs are fully recovered. They seem to my mind and observation to be more settled in their new role without Lily since then. <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And in Lily's memory, because she loved those car rides so, I have started taking Trip for more experiences (have I ever mentioned he's a horrorshow in a car?) and I dare say he's improved by at least 75%.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Isn't making observations grand?Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-70174420708781308022010-03-02T20:13:00.000-05:002010-03-02T20:13:39.830-05:00Slipping & Sliding into Spring, Celebrating Eskies<div class="format_text entry-content"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S423htYnx0I/AAAAAAAAA3M/dUFL5Zq4yf4/s1600-h/DashboardDogInSnow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S423htYnx0I/AAAAAAAAA3M/dUFL5Zq4yf4/s320/DashboardDogInSnow.jpg" /></a></div>Despite the deep drifts and potentially lethal icicles that drip all about, sights and sounds of spring are peeking out — stalwart birds a-chirpin, lengthening days and a noticeably different angle of sunlight — not to mention my itch to feel bare feet on grass.<br />The Olympics are [ finally ] over and in the spirit of glasnost, or just warm feelings with our neighbors to the north, today’s blog is dedicated to the celebration of the <a href="http://dogoftheday.com/archive/2006/March/01.html">4th anniversary of the American Eskimo dog breed</a> being formally recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club.<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Eskimo_Dog" target="_blank" title="Eskies">Eskies are modernized white dog</a>s descended from Spitz dogs developed in the Arctic and northern area of the world and tweaked to come out in 3 sizes — standard, miniature and toy — &nbsp;I contemplate the benefit of such a winter loving dog with energy to spare to pull my sled to get me where I need to go. But then I think about all that white hair that would need sweeping and I console myself that the Winter Olympics are over for four more years.<br />If this is a breed that appeals to the musher in you, <a href="http://www.americaneskimodogs.org/index.html" target="_blank">learn more about </a>whether their wicked high intelligence, high energy and protective but non aggressive nature might be a good match for you.<br /><div class="post_tags">Tagged as: <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/abetterpet2/?tag=behavioral-training" rel="tag nofollow">Behavioral Training</a>, <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/abetterpet2/?tag=cool-stuff" rel="tag nofollow">Cool Stuff</a> </div></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-25271492387455569462010-02-18T07:29:00.005-05:002010-02-18T08:06:26.759-05:00Some Days...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S30y3E1eNeI/AAAAAAAAA28/uUgLnzF95iM/s1600-h/Some-Days-Backwards.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S30y3E1eNeI/AAAAAAAAA28/uUgLnzF95iM/s400/Some-Days-Backwards.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439559846705640930" /></a>Some days, most actually, when I finally stop the constant motion both in body and mind in living my life, I feel a sense of collapse and wonderment that 12 - 16 hours has elapsed and there has been no break.<div><br /></div><div>Owning and running my <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/">own company</a>, single parenting 3 very different daughters, nudging as best I can the workings of my beloved 100 year old house, managing and enjoying business and personal relationships, dealing with any and all contingencies, adapting to the new dynamic since <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/queen-is-dead-long-live-queen.html">the death of Lily</a> last month, not to mention recent chronic snow shoveling, keeps me on the treadmill of life. </div><div><br /></div><div>But sometimes, when it's all quiet about me, I look over onto my magnetized inspiration board [stay tuned for a future post on that], and see the triangulated ceramic <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tchotchke">tchotchke</a> [you can't see the silly feet that are attached to the bottom of what by all accounts seems to me to be a Christmas Tree] that reads in an all lower case cursive:</div><div> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S302ZPVRS3I/AAAAAAAAA3E/lEyHPcj2zjM/s1600-h/Some-Days-The-Best-Thing.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 336px; height: 340px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S302ZPVRS3I/AAAAAAAAA3E/lEyHPcj2zjM/s400/Some-Days-The-Best-Thing.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439563732173802354" /></a>And then I do. And whether it's a moment, an hour or a whole day, I can get back on the treadmill and do it all over again.Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-22687922116350864322010-02-10T11:18:00.012-05:002010-03-09T09:42:05.600-05:00Who Do You Love?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S3LkMto4XpI/AAAAAAAAA2s/rovj5EySCwE/s1600-h/BeanFaceSnow1_09.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436658607250235026" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S3LkMto4XpI/AAAAAAAAA2s/rovj5EySCwE/s400/BeanFaceSnow1_09.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a>Valentine's Day is soon upon us. Formal and informal polls reveal that a lot of us out there put a significant amount of our emotional energy into our companion animal relationships. I really enjoyed reading about a<a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/35294734/ns/today-valentines_day/"> recent global poll</a> which reveals that 1 in 5 [1/5th] adults surveyed would prefer their pet than their partner. <br /><div><br /></div><div>I'm not very sentimental, but I do not take it for granted that I can spread my emotional and physical energy easily among both my human and animal loved ones and enjoy all. I live for perfect moments and most all of them come from some interaction of affection or connection or even awareness between myself and my inner core of people and the many dogs in my life.<br /><div><div><br /></div><div>In the realm of positive dog training, effort towards a non-violent and loving form of training as opposed to a more punitive one increases the probability that a loving and more fluid partnership is likely. Learning how to take on, from the earliest of ages, a positive, clear and benevolent leadership role and working with your animal at a realistic rate of expectation versus the You Do It Or Else Approach in which you dare not start training until the dog is 4 months lest you harm him is my Valentine's Wish For Dogs. </div><div><br /></div><div>Doing a wee bit of journalistic research into the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/relationships/valentines-day/7187784/History-of-Valentines-Day.html">history of Valentine's Day</a>, I learned that once upon a time, the context involved a lot of whipping and force. And double gasp, included the use of dog skin whips.</div><div><br /></div><div>Valentine's Day for me is a sign that we're still going to be dealing with winter weather for at least another 6 weeks. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S3LmXZnE-qI/AAAAAAAAA20/qMeVYfM3Y00/s1600-h/SophieTripSnowShovel.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436660989875780258" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S3LmXZnE-qI/AAAAAAAAA20/qMeVYfM3Y00/s320/SophieTripSnowShovel.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>Snow storms in waves make driving hazardous and includes lots of shoveling.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>However you celebrate the mid of the month, heck any day, any month, savor your loved ones, whatever their species.</div><div><br /></div></div></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-39877449030708880632010-01-27T09:11:00.005-05:002010-03-09T09:42:50.451-05:00Learning Styles<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S2BJ9X6OJ5I/AAAAAAAAA1w/t57R0pzSl7o/s1600-h/OurGoal.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431422469347878802" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S2BJ9X6OJ5I/AAAAAAAAA1w/t57R0pzSl7o/s400/OurGoal.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 124px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 274px;" /></a>My obsession of late with respect to the dog training services I provide is taxing my brain. I'm always trying to figure out how best to communicate to clients, either in a private in home or group setting, the correct information about how dogs learn. Getting clients to understand is paramount. <br /><div><br /></div><div>If you don't have a solid foundation for your house, it will collapse in an earthquake; if you don't have a solid foundation in understanding how dogs really tick, your dog in particular, you're going to accept disappointment and possibly the canine equivalent of an earthquake or tsunami.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Other than using that disappointment to rake in profits by writing best sellers like <b>MARLEY AND ME</b> (I could neither finish the book or the movie btw, which is very uncharacteristic of me), I want people to develop increased desire in increasing accountability of their dog's behavior by taking a greater role in the process. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think the key begins with understanding learning styles. People often know their own <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_style">learning style</a> or can tell me what their best learning style is when I tell them their choices; if I ask them what their dog's learning style is they look at me with a blank look. </div><div><br /></div><div>Having worked with thousands of dogs, including my own pack of shifting canines since very very young, I have developed by observation and working the dog, briefly, what the dog's learning style is. And I see that regardless of age, breed, temperament, gender or any other variables, that the learning style in a dog is the learning style in a dog -- it doesn't change.</div><div><br /></div><div>So here are the three I have discovered:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Learns something new very quickly but can't sustain it without lots of reinforcement, i.e., learns sit but gets right back up. (MOST COMMON IN MY EXPERIENCE).</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Learns beginning and end of a behavior but has trouble with the middle, i.e., can sit and stay but wiggles in a sit position) (LEAST COMMON BUT NOTED FREQUENTLY ENOUGH)</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Has a heck of a time just taking in the information to learn the very beginning of a behavior but with patience, eventually gets it (MOST CHALLENGING BUT MOST SATISFYING FROM THIS TRAINER'S PERSPECTIVE).</div><div><br /></div><div>Once you figure out your own dog's learning style and you can commit to a positive approach to training, the unruly adolescent can be tamed into the amazing, intelligent animal you never even knew you had!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a little clip of a brilliant dog, Nina, who because she was misunderstood, initially presented as a monstrously unruly, defiant, and at times, scary dog. Polishing off the rough in a single session revealed the diamond that she really is. Hopefully her people are continuing the journey. Here she demonstrates how she learned a simple command that is complicated to teach (not really, you just have to really understand clicker training and have good timing and patience) but was done in under a minute once she stopped reacting and started thinking:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MfRSXnaaN5Q&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MfRSXnaaN5Q&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Can you tell what Nina's learning style is? </div></div></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-29023737112293194782010-01-20T14:06:00.007-05:002010-03-28T20:31:43.854-04:00Trip nostalgia trip<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S1daS45ihJI/AAAAAAAAA1o/1r4lJ43VYrw/s1600-h/TripCloseup+.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428907156376290450" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S1daS45ihJI/AAAAAAAAA1o/1r4lJ43VYrw/s320/TripCloseup+.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>Lily's recent death at age 10 paralleled the entire first decade of the 21st century. She came into my life on January 2, 2000 and she left it 10 days ago almost exactly ten years later on January 10, 2010. I've recently rediscovered a box of old video tapes including a lot of footage of my children when young and, of course, my dogs past and present were well represented, sometimes to the exclusion of the kids!<br /><div><br /></div><div>The process of video preservation -- transferring the tapes to the hard drive of a computer and then editing the footage into interesting little movies for both personal and professional use is an exciting but nevertheless daunting proposition. </div><div><br /></div><div>My tech savvy teenage daughter figured out how to configure the appropriate cords to show the videotape on the living room TV and last night the girls and I (along with the dogs and cats) watched one tape dating back to Fall 2001. Much of the cassette was when my now 8 + year old Trip was a puppy -- including the day I took my girls (then ages 2 1/2, almost 5 and 8 1/2) to meet Trip and his whole litter. What I hadn't counted on was how excited Trip was to see his family on TV. </div><div><br /></div><div>Trip has really been the only dog I've lived with who really loves TV. Especially if there is some animal related show on (I watch a lot of them). He gets really giddy when it's about dogs. I can only imagine how very giddy he was watching his very small and young former ungray self and his siblings and his birth mother. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is just a small snippet I just had to take to show his excitement and how it transferred down to the cats (who normally take no interest in TV). Stay tuned for more!</div><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/frvDm0i91d8&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x234900&amp;color2=0x4e9e00"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/frvDm0i91d8&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x234900&amp;color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-48360094031408997272010-01-11T09:23:00.010-05:002010-03-09T09:40:57.020-05:00The Queen is Dead, Long Live the Queen<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0s3hIEPWKI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/Ch1QWF8jlmg/s1600-h/LilyFetchingTag+copy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425491218338371746" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0s3hIEPWKI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/Ch1QWF8jlmg/s400/LilyFetchingTag+copy.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 300px;" /></a>The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost-benefit_analysis">cost benefit analysis</a> of bringing animals into your life can vary for person to person. <br /><div><br /></div><div>There are of course the financial expenses -- cost of animal, medical care, food and treats, chewies, toys, equipment, grooming, boarding, training, dog walking, day care, and possibly the loss or replacement of valuables your dog destroys during phases of development. Certainly those in the animal welfare world are well aware of the current economic crisis having a very high toll on the loss of animals of their home simply because of financial issues.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then there is the more important cost of getting emotionally involved in the animals you take on responsibility for and the knowledge that there is a very high likelihood that you will outlive an animal and the grief that follows, often misunderstood or dismissed by other people in your life.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/dog-hospice-my-lovely-lily.html">Four weeks ago today</a> I learned Lily had an advanced case of hemangiosarcoma. Based on her radiograph and blood tests, I was told she would not last long. Kindly I was told by my vet he would be surprised if she lived a month. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have gone through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model">stages of grief</a> during this past month of hospice culminating in Lily's death Sunday night at 9:20 pm. She was one day shy of his month prediction. I consider this last month a real gift. I had an opportunity to spend quality time with her and to savor her on those days she felt well. Just being quietly near her on the more difficult days seemed to comfort her. Her pattern seemed to be a few good days (good appetite, spring in her step, her general joie) followed by one or two not so great days (no appetite, vomiting, lethargy, trouble breathing).</div><div><br /></div><div>Friday was a very good day. Lily had a sudden surge of energy and seemed almost puppy-like in her enthusiasm and indicated desire to go for a drive even though it was freezing cold and snowy. I was thrilled that something I had already let go of just a week or so ago could be revisited -- at least one more time.<br /><br />Off we went to visit my father, her "grandpa". She was solicitous of affection and was her old, sweet, usual self. No obvious signs of distress, heavy breathing or a dulled affect. She was downright perky!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0s5rHLxeCI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/XcdmAzEsHJ4/s1600-h/SkipPetsLily.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425493588923480098" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0s5rHLxeCI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/XcdmAzEsHJ4/s320/SkipPetsLily.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 302px;" /></a></div>I watched in awe but had in the back of my head <a href="http://endoflifecare.tripod.com/Caregiving/id89.html">the end of care guide</a>, specifically the section in which it was written:<br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype';"></span></i></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><blockquote><b><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><i>Surge of Energy</i></span></span></span></b></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><i>Occasionally, when someone is close to death, he has a temporary increase in energy and alertness. He may become talkative after a period of disorientation or sleepiness. He may ask for a favorite food after having refused meals and he may ask for visitors after a period of withdrawal. Take advantage of this time; it can be one of special closeness and a chance to express your love and support.</i></span></span></span></blockquote></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype';"></span></span>She remained pretty chipper the rest of Friday and had a great appetite.</div><div><br /></div><div>Saturday was not a great day, but not a horrid one. Aside from a few potty breaks in the cold and snow, Lily mostly slept. But early evening she began to get up and instead collapsed, unable to get up. I helped get her on a dog bed and dragged her into the the living room. She rested there the rest of the evening. </div><div><br /></div><div>My daughter Callie and I made a nest of cushions and warm blankets next to Lily on her bed</div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0yNH53BNfI/AAAAAAAAA0o/lsErtQSWO6M/s1600-h/Lily-on-her-last-day.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425866818004792818" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0yNH53BNfI/AAAAAAAAA0o/lsErtQSWO6M/s320/Lily-on-her-last-day.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 194px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />and along with all the other animals -- Bean, Trip, Grace, Lola and Byrne -- spent the night with her on the floor. I knew she would never go upstairs again. I cried myself to sleep, quietly, so as not to stress out Callie who was herself already openly grieving for a dog she had known from her earliest memories.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lily remained unable to get up in the morning, and it had been nearly 18 hours since she had last gone out for a potty break. I put a towel under her hindquarters on the bed in case she lost control of her bladder or bowels. </div><div><br /></div><div>At noon, as I was getting ready to take one daughter to begin a bus journey for a 3 day field trip for school and pick up another who had been at a sleepover birthday party, I went in to check on Lily and she was gone! Not one of us had noticed that she had gotten up and returned to her crate next to the radiator.</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0yL0Pql4WI/AAAAAAAAA0g/Xv1w-QsdSGI/s1600-h/LilyResting.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425865380749238626" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0yL0Pql4WI/AAAAAAAAA0g/Xv1w-QsdSGI/s320/LilyResting.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 140px; width: 220px;" /></a><br /><br />I was able to roust her long enough to get her outside one last time. On wobbly legs she made a successful potty break and came back in. Back to her warm crate and rest.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Throughout the rest of the day she rested. She refused food, drank some water. Visitors to the house included grandpa again as well as my sister in law and 5 1/2 month old nephew.</div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03H-cy48oI/AAAAAAAAA04/RsI7OcaKvR4/s1600-h/Alex-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426213001746772610" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03H-cy48oI/AAAAAAAAA04/RsI7OcaKvR4/s200/Alex-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 200px; width: 198px;" /></a></div><div>Lily rested through it all.</div><div><br /></div><div>Shortly after 9, guests long gone, I went to try to roust her for one last evening potty break. My two younger girls were nearby. I helped her up and out of the crate. Lily let out a very sharp, loud scream. It had a guttural, primal sound, and it shook me to my core. Her ears, usually flopped over softly, stood straight up in a way I had never seen before. I called Callie to grab the dog bed from the other room and together we helped get her fully back on the bed. Lily screamed another singular wail, sank into the bed and died. </div><div><br /></div><div>The girls and I sat on the floor in the dark room surrounding her. We stroked and petted her. Bathing her in our tears we told her how much we had loved her. I thanked my sobbing girls for being such great friends to Lily. I also told them it was such a gift that she had allowed us to be with her at the end, and it was a gift for her that we could be there, stroking, loving and generally doing everything we could to help her onto her journey to the <a href="http://www.rainbowbridge.com/Poem.htm">Rainbow Bridge</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The flipside of grief is humor. We sat there for a very long time as Lily's body began to further shut down. I had been around enough dying dogs to know that she was already gone in spirit; now it was her body turning off the rest of the lights in the house. </div><div><br /></div><div>The other two dogs and cats came by to sniff and regard the body. Each addressed her differently, and the girls asked a lot of questions about the surviving animals' take on her death. It was one of those parenting moments you dread and savor all at the same time -- an opportunity to share the experience of the death of a loved one is a bittersweet time. I told the girls I couldn't begin to know what animals think, I can only observe. To my mind, all were exhibiting more or less respectful behavior. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03PDOo0ffI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/ydxtUcunIWU/s1600-h/Trip-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426220780427181554" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03PDOo0ffI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/ydxtUcunIWU/s200/Trip-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 150px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />Finally Trip came over to sit on my lap as I sat on the floor and make what Sophie calls his Old Man noises. I began a dialogue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Me: "Just because you are now the oldest animal does not automatically make you royalty."</div><div>Trip: "grrrr moan, moan grrr, moan moan whimper moan grrr."</div><div>Me: "I don't care how much you think the crown will look good on your head. Passing of the crown has to go to the animal amongst the remaining pack who exhibits the greatest leadership while maintaining dignity. I think we can all agree that Bean, loving as he is, does not convey the greatest attributes of royalty. And Lola and Grace just can't be bothered. </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0yRVvTwaYI/AAAAAAAAA0w/VjGcotIQep8/s1600-h/Bean-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425871453737216386" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0yRVvTwaYI/AAAAAAAAA0w/VjGcotIQep8/s200/Bean-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 188px;" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03Nj18I-mI/AAAAAAAAA1I/NGplL5GTiXQ/s1600-h/Lola1_10.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426219141709757026" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03Nj18I-mI/AAAAAAAAA1I/NGplL5GTiXQ/s200/Lola1_10.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 162px; width: 200px;" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03OhgsZv3I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/GFrSCGY_smc/s1600-h/Grace-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426220201158492018" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03OhgsZv3I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/GFrSCGY_smc/s200/Grace-on-Lily%27s-Last-Day.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 184px; width: 200px;" /></a><br /><br /><br />And frankly, although you are smart, funny and certainly have seniority age wise, I just don't think you have the sobriety needed to rule fairly. You're too happy happy joy joy all the time, and it doesn't help that you get too overstimulated in that terrier way."<br /><div>Trip: "grrrrr...moan, grr, grr, moan, whimper, grrrrr, moooaaaannnnn."</div><div>Me: "I know, sometimes the truth hurts. But I have to know the passing of the crown goes to the one who deserves it."</div><div><br /></div><div>The girls and I realized that of the remaining 5 animals, Byrne, although still young and very much a punk much of the time, has the greatest leadership qualities. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03SaArvB0I/AAAAAAAAA1g/GJWxTLTIHj4/s1600-h/ByrneOutline.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426224470353184578" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S03SaArvB0I/AAAAAAAAA1g/GJWxTLTIHj4/s320/ByrneOutline.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 201px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />But until the crown can fit snugly over his adolescent ego, we shall carry on during the <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/INTERREGNUM">interregnum</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>We'll all need some time to adjust. Lily's death has left a huge hole in our hearts and hearth.</div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-60161430144879281552010-01-07T21:51:00.007-05:002010-03-09T09:39:32.361-05:00When to Euthanize<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0afLXuKxQI/AAAAAAAAA0A/wtek7eVZydo/s1600-h/Rescuedogcat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424197818909377794" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0afLXuKxQI/AAAAAAAAA0A/wtek7eVZydo/s320/Rescuedogcat.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 232px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a>The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (<a href="http://www.apdt.com/">APDT)</a> announced last month that January 2010 would be The First Annual <a href="http://www.trainyourdogmonth.com/">National Train Your Dog Month.</a> <br /><div><br /></div><div>You know how some people don't like to stop to ask for directions? The result can lead to taking a very long time to get to the destination, getting hopelessly lost or worse, getting into an accident. So it is with raising a dog well. Not many people realize that there are very simple things to learn and practice that will help shape a puppy from the beginning or rewire an unruly adolescent or adult dog into a well behaved and adoring companion animal. Note I said simple, not easy.<br /><br />Lack of simple and consistent training ends up becoming a death sentence for many very wonderful dogs (and cats and other pets). The adorable puppy crawling out of the box on Christmas morning isn't so adorable after a few weeks or months of NORMAL DOG BEHAVIOR you decide you don't like. Pup hasn't learned where to consistently pee or poop because no one taught her. He's destroying property because no one is managing him or giving him appropriate chewies each and every time. She is jumping up on owners or guests; he is pulling on the leash and maybe even barking and lunging at strangers/other dogs/anything it sees. Perhaps the dog is running off and at risk for being hit by a car or lost or injuring someone or something.<br /><br />Fed up with behaviors that aren't cute anymore or new ones that are overbearing, owners give up on the dog and, because the owner can, the dog ends up in a shelter or rescue group or almost incomprehensibly, just dumped. [AUTHOR'S NOTE: Lily was herself a rescue -- she and several litter mates were serendipitously found by a passerby who heard them whimpering -- they had been dumped in a box in the woods in late December to freeze to death. My rescue cat Grace was from a litter thrown in a dumpster in the back of a vet hospital where I used to teach -- she was the only kitten in her litter to survive. How? She managed to escape the dumpster and find me in the parking lot . From day one this feline exudes a cerebral calm and cunning that makes her such a survivor.]<br /><br />According to the Humane Society of the United States, between six and eight million dogs and cats are turned in to animal shelters each year, and about four million are euthanized for lack of good homes. These are often healthy, nice and potentially amazing pets whose only crime was owner impulsivity, ignorance and irresponsibility. Check out their <a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/pets/">video</a>.<br />-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-<br />My own dilemma regarding euthanasia has to do with the flip side of that coin.<br />-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-</div><div>At what point does one make the decision for a beloved and cherished dog in their care that euthanasia is indicated? A dog you really don't want to lose but are coming to accept you will lose. Now at 3. 5 weeks post diagnosis and thus at the tail end of the time frame guesstimated on Diagnosis Day, I called in to Lily's medical doctor, Dr. James Preuter of <a href="http://www.shakeranimalclinic.com/">Shaker Animal Clinic</a>.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0agCCGk9wI/AAAAAAAAA0I/WD14kUu1SWQ/s1600-h/LilyNYDay2010.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424198757998982914" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0agCCGk9wI/AAAAAAAAA0I/WD14kUu1SWQ/s320/LilyNYDay2010.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 266px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />I've known Dr. Preuter for years but never had the need to have one of those emotional conversations revolving around the painful topic of death and dying: "When do I know when it's time and when and if that time comes, what will I do?" I was very grateful for his gentle tone and willingness to discuss options available even though I knew he was in the middle of a hectic work day.<br /><br />I was most heartened that he was willing, should I need it, to provide a house call to euthanize her in her familiar environments. I also probed him in detail about what the <a href="http://endoflifecare.tripod.com/Caregiving/id89.html">actual cause of death might be and what it might look like</a> if she went on her own. I was heartened that although gruesome sounding to a lay person, her probable cause would be bleeding out in whatever internal organ was "winning" the hemangiosarcoma tumor war. Since the cancer wouldn't spread to her bones, he indicated her continued deterioration shouldn't be painful. She might be walking about and just drop dead suddenly and relatively painlessly, or, in best case scenario, she would simply fall asleep and die peacefully sleeping.<br /><br />Since a good 90% of Lily's time is spent resting/sleeping and I'm making an effort to minimize her excitement/arousal level since that causes breathing trauma, I'd like to think that she is savoring the end process because I have worked it out to remain near her much of the time. She seems to take great comfort in me being near her, which is really the greatest gift she could give me. Thank goodness for slow periods like endless snow of January!<br /><br />Lily is proof positive that one person's trash is another's treasure. And treasure her I have. And do. And hope to for many more days to come.</div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-12545612245187386802010-01-05T13:06:00.022-05:002010-03-09T09:38:18.143-05:00Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OAE_nw0uI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/IOda3BA24eI/s1600-h/CallieMeBIRTH97.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423319199570252514" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OAE_nw0uI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/IOda3BA24eI/s320/CallieMeBIRTH97.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>The ceaseless snow here in my neck of the woods since 2010 rang in 5 days ago is absurd. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/05/books/paperback-best-sellers-january-5-1997.html?pagewanted=1">Thirteen years ago today</a> it was very cold and snowy. Thirteen years ago yesterday, it was balmy and unseasonably warm for January in Cleveland. This is unlike yesterday's weather, in that it was snowy and cold and, did I mention snowy?<br /><div>How do I know these facts? No, I'm not an idiot savant or weather freak. I just remember that it was 13 years ago t<i>oday</i> I came home from the hospital having given birth to my second daughter, Callie. The day after she was born we got to know each other a little bit but I couldn't take her outside yet even though there was a freak warm day to savor.</div><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OGJ8-FtQI/AAAAAAAAAyw/IgWS32dhulA/s1600-h/CallieEats07.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423325881827702018" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OGJ8-FtQI/AAAAAAAAAyw/IgWS32dhulA/s200/CallieEats07.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OHMvh-E-I/AAAAAAAAAzA/RqlzWSWmyHw/s1600-h/CalliePrincessWing.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423327029271335906" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OHMvh-E-I/AAAAAAAAAzA/RqlzWSWmyHw/s200/CalliePrincessWing.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 136px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OHGJv15nI/AAAAAAAAAy4/ON7YHvIdv3I/s1600-h/Callie-and-Trip-Meet-2001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423326916049757810" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OHGJv15nI/AAAAAAAAAy4/ON7YHvIdv3I/s200/Callie-and-Trip-Meet-2001.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 120px;" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OHlFXuIBI/AAAAAAAAAzI/fOqMDjxUF18/s1600-h/BeanCallieHowlSpring.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423327447450787858" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OHlFXuIBI/AAAAAAAAAzI/fOqMDjxUF18/s200/BeanCallieHowlSpring.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: none; height: 150px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px;" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OIAtxvRUI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/qo4kfZEUPbc/s1600-h/Callieposthaircut.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423327922153801026" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OIAtxvRUI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/qo4kfZEUPbc/s320/Callieposthaircut.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: none; height: 220px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 173px;" /></a><br /><a href="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" ref="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OVmZncbgI/AAAAAAAAAzg/KM-Ar94LSKY/s1600-h/AGirl%26HerCat.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423342863228104194" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OVmZncbgI/AAAAAAAAAzg/KM-Ar94LSKY/s200/AGirl%26HerCat.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: none; height: 150px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" ref="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OVmZncbgI/AAAAAAAAAzg/KM-Ar94LSKY/s1600-h/AGirl%26HerCat.jpg"></a><br /><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/taking-har-vest-off-road.html">[</a><a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/taking-har-vest-off-road.html">back when Callie liked hanging with me</a>]</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Nostalgia snap!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's official. Now I'm living with <b>TWO</b> teenage daughters. TWO! Very smart ones to boot. I'm outnumbered. And Lily, my stalwart friend, their loyal queen and my right hand bitch for the entire first decade of this 21st century, is now three weeks and one day post <a href="http://www.caninecancer.com/Hemangiosarcoma.html">diagnosis</a>. She is fading slowly but surely. Hospice care continues. She is mostly resting now, inbetween going out for potty breaks, which fortunately she can still do. She continues to take the medication <a href="http://www.petcarerx.com/pcrx/HealthGuide/Medications/Medication.aspx?mid=11248#back">Theophylline</a> which helps her breath easier and seems to calm her when she gets a gak reaction or loses balance or, as what happened a few days ago, lost control of her hind quarters for about a minute. But mostly the hospice care is just being around. Being a consistent <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/search?q=benevolent+leader">benevolent leader</a> and finding ways to maximize my time at home and briefly, outside with her. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0ODNg2uAQI/AAAAAAAAAyg/PpvwGFYAmpI/s1600-h/LilyResting.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423322644465189122" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0ODNg2uAQI/AAAAAAAAAyg/PpvwGFYAmpI/s320/LilyResting.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 140px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left; width: 220px;" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0ODeL9CyvI/AAAAAAAAAyo/7tqPu8KxuSs/s1600-h/LilySnow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423322930912348914" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0ODeL9CyvI/AAAAAAAAAyo/7tqPu8KxuSs/s320/LilySnow.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: centert; height: 198px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 220px;" /></a></div><div><div></div></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OCv-0d7lI/AAAAAAAAAyY/3VK1LlEjhK4/s1600-h/SophieTripSnowShovel.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Things I have let go of in the past 2 weeks:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Lily will not be able to go on any more walks out and about in the planet. But we had a lot of them. Mostly they were great and I just loved watching her run -- she always reminded me of a young filly when she really let it go. Now I'm just grateful she can still walk up and down the stairs to go both outside and upstairs in my house.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OZ7BXXV5I/AAAAAAAAAzw/rLqKTKI9N7A/s1600-h/Loose-Leash-Walking-Lily.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423347615541974930" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OZ7BXXV5I/AAAAAAAAAzw/rLqKTKI9N7A/s200/Loose-Leash-Walking-Lily.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 150px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. No more car rides. Something she really loved, especially the past few months, before I even knew she was ill. And I promised myself if it should come to having to euthanize her, I would figure out how to have it down in my home, not at a vet hospital. So, no more car rides. A bittersweet loss.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OY5lh76WI/AAAAAAAAAzo/aoPKbWV3OlQ/s1600-h/DrivingSophie2School.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423346491378624866" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OY5lh76WI/AAAAAAAAAzo/aoPKbWV3OlQ/s200/DrivingSophie2School.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 150px; width: 200px;" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But there are many things she still can do and do well. She even hauls up out of her warm crate to greet the kids when they get home from school. I bet she's wishing (like they are) that we get a snow day from all this precipitation.</div><div><br /></div><div>So my non teenager is off taking a driveway shoveling shift and Trip joins her. A reminder that death is not so much a reason to be sad, but a way to celebrate a life that was and to remember to cherish the life that remains. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423322137112735314" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/S0OCv-0d7lI/AAAAAAAAAyY/3VK1LlEjhK4/s320/SophieTripSnowShovel.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 320px;" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-83665028841163053592009-12-24T18:52:00.001-05:002010-03-09T11:14:09.799-05:00Dog Hospice - My Lovely Lily<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzP6bmeMwLI/AAAAAAAAAxw/Li8Ya7V7cqQ/s1600-h/ThePack2000.ed.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418950128747462834" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzP6bmeMwLI/AAAAAAAAAxw/Li8Ya7V7cqQ/s400/ThePack2000.ed.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 304px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a></span>Nearly ten years ago -- Jan. 2, 2000 -- in a serendipitous fit of insanity, I brought into my chaotic life a long limbed gangly rescue puppy of questionable heritage. A diamond shaped white spot on her neck made me think of Diamond Lil, and hence, Lily entered the menagerie. (<i>photo 1 from January 2000: from left: Finney the Sheltie, Zena at age 6 1/2, author holding 10 mo. old Sophie and 2 month old Lily, Callie just turned 3 and Maeya, the then queen of the pack at 8</i>)<br /><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever her genetic makeup, Lily and my youngest daughter Sophie grew up as puppies together. They shared toys, floor time and vied for my attention.</div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SykZeCdd9gI/AAAAAAAAAxA/6PB3BaW9jeA/s1600-h/Sophie-Lily+share+treat.2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415888030736971266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SykZeCdd9gI/AAAAAAAAAxA/6PB3BaW9jeA/s200/Sophie-Lily+share+treat.2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 140px; width: 200px;" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzP8fo9sPZI/AAAAAAAAAyA/MyYy9_ECQBQ/s1600-h/SophieLilyasPuppiesA_2000.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418952397159153042" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzP8fo9sPZI/AAAAAAAAAyA/MyYy9_ECQBQ/s400/SophieLilyasPuppiesA_2000.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzP8fD2Wx6I/AAAAAAAAAx4/SeUpObvRPqU/s1600-h/SophieLily2004s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418952387196274594" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzP8fD2Wx6I/AAAAAAAAAx4/SeUpObvRPqU/s400/SophieLily2004s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a> </span><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Syjok8TRyKI/AAAAAAAAAww/OfB6oODof8U/s1600-h/SophieLily-2009.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415834273272940706" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Syjok8TRyKI/AAAAAAAAAww/OfB6oODof8U/s200/SophieLily-2009.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 250px; width: 300px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Lily started as a <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/party-dogs-what-kind-is-yours.html">cocktail party dog</a>, segued in her middling years as an <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/part-iii-of-3-intimate-dinner-party-dog.html">intimate dinner party dog</a>, and because <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/lily-rehab-part-i.html">I put effort into it</a>, settled into her role as a <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/part-ii-dinner-party-dog.html">dinner party</a> girl.</span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>She taught subsequent dogs -- some permanent members, others for shorter stays -- the way of her world. And she was just, fair, clear and direct. Once you earned her trust, she was yours for life. You can't ask for more than that.</div><div><br /></div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Syjn0haEUsI/AAAAAAAAAwo/5cMIgcCfWXU/s1600-h/BeanLilyTripCU.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415833441419940546" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Syjn0haEUsI/AAAAAAAAAwo/5cMIgcCfWXU/s320/BeanLilyTripCU.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 261px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a>It's hard to put into words all that she has been in her 10 years. What I do know is she has advanced <a href="http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/dehemsarcoma.html">canine hemangiosarcoma</a>, discovered 10 days ago. Her time is measured by days or at most weeks, and there's little to do but make her comfortable.</div><div><br /></div><div>While her energy level is fading and she is steadily losing weight despite efforts to feed her more food and lots of treats, she still savors lots of petting, ear strokes and car rides. She greets all visitors and still nudges old friends for more of that petting. I am grateful I can modify my schedule to spend lots of time with her, and I can only hope that she stays comfortable until the end.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', serif; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzQFfwOQhuI/AAAAAAAAAyI/Yh0XUS5AopQ/s1600-h/LilyCarFall2009.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418962294712338146" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzQFfwOQhuI/AAAAAAAAAyI/Yh0XUS5AopQ/s400/LilyCarFall2009.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a></span></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-74716031557808767052009-12-22T16:50:00.008-05:002010-03-28T20:33:32.808-04:00Fetching as an adjectiveWe've talked before about behavioral chains and how the game of fetch is a great way to define a behavioral chain link by link -- 1. Toss object (or direct dog to get object). 2. Dog goes to object (speed a variable of course -- saunter, run, hurl, etc.). 3. Dog picks up object. 4. Dog brings object to person. 5. Dog hands object to person. If your dog isn't fetching, figure out which link or links are missing and fix those first.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Here and today, hours before the holidays kick into highest gear for millions of celebrators, I mean</div><div><blockquote></blockquote></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;"></span><br /><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;">fe<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">tch·ing</b> <embed align="texttop" flashvars="soundUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsp.ask.com%2Fdictstatic%2Fdictionary%2Faudio%2Fahd4%2FF%2FF0092100.mp3&amp;clkLogProxyUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fwhatzup.html&amp;t=a&amp;d=d&amp;s=di&amp;c=a&amp;ti=1&amp;ai=51359&amp;l=dir&amp;o=0&amp;sv=00000000&amp;ip=4ca05c25&amp;u=audio" height="15" id="speaker" loop="false" menu="false" quality="high" salign="t" src="http://sp.ask.com/dictstatic/d/g/speaker.swf" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="17" wmode="transparent"></embed> (fěch'ĭng) adj. Very attractive; charming: <i style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a fetching new dogtag.</i></span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div>And now and for a limited time, you can get your own pet a fetching tag from the very place itself, <a href="http://www.fetchingtags.net/">Fetching Tags</a>. And for added savings, tell them OH249 (that would be me) sent you and use coupon code HOLLYDOG (use all caps!!!) for an extra $4 off.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande',serif; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.fetchingtags.net/"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFDRND1kXI/AAAAAAAAAxI/6iOPPrzls8w/s1600-h/fetchingtags.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418185789546008946" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFDRND1kXI/AAAAAAAAAxI/6iOPPrzls8w/s400/fetchingtags.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 111px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 238px;" /></a></span>Lightweight, unique, useful and allowing for individuality, all my creatures wear theirs with pride ( and they make cool zipper pulls too!).</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Holidays From A Better Pet</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFEPpC6Z9I/AAAAAAAAAxQ/kNoLHSYeEAw/s1600-h/TheQueen.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418186862210213842" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFEPpC6Z9I/AAAAAAAAAxQ/kNoLHSYeEAw/s200/TheQueen.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 100px;" /></a> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande',serif; font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></i></span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFE7LhA4EI/AAAAAAAAAxY/loq6sqjeYgE/s1600-h/BeanSpokesDogScruffSnow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418187610197647426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFE7LhA4EI/AAAAAAAAAxY/loq6sqjeYgE/s200/BeanSpokesDogScruffSnow.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFFqP7GxKI/AAAAAAAAAxg/LI4xt1ZhWMk/s1600-h/TripTag.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418188418834678946" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SzFFqP7GxKI/AAAAAAAAAxg/LI4xt1ZhWMk/s200/TripTag.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 184px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-73773972404498208672009-12-15T18:05:00.004-05:002010-03-28T20:34:00.403-04:00Walk the dog<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SyhIVtKVeqI/AAAAAAAAAwY/NrT2GdNmeLQ/s1600-h/SophieBeanRunAway.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415658089650420386" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SyhIVtKVeqI/AAAAAAAAAwY/NrT2GdNmeLQ/s400/SophieBeanRunAway.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 225px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a><br />It's official. Researchers at The University of Missouri have confirmed what many have instinctively known for years. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ye82ger">Walking your dog</a> (or dogs) has more health benefits than walking with other people.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Learn how to teach your dog the benefit of <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/search?q=LOOSE+LEASH">loose leash walking</a> or reliable off <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/products/training-equipment/euro-leash">leash</a> walking, put on your comfy shoes, dress for the weather, and get out there and walk.<br /><div><br /></div></div>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-45438916990243439512009-12-04T15:22:00.009-05:002010-03-28T20:34:37.454-04:00In time for the holidays<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SxlvwTYCHaI/AAAAAAAAAvs/6_9Ogergm2o/s1600-h/MallDogs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411479302887841186" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SxlvwTYCHaI/AAAAAAAAAvs/6_9Ogergm2o/s320/MallDogs.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>Just in time for the holidays -- <a href="http://www.perfectpetsstore.com/">the perfect pet</a> for you or your loved one. Different colors and breeds, already crate trained -- handy for when you want to toss them aside when the festivities get started. And no worries. These furry pets only sleep and stay quiet, NO MATTER WHAT is going on.<br /><br />These perfect pups don't require healthy food, potty breaks, any structure, guidance. Hey, take 'em out in the world or don't, socialization smocialization! All they do is sleep!<br /><br />Say farewell to drool, accidents, gnawed shoes, muddy pawprints, strained shoulder and walks in cruddy weather. What are you waiting for, get your perfect pet for the holidays!<br /><br /><a href="http://store.pleoworld.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&amp;Store_Code=PleoWorld&amp;Product_Code=INL-INNVOLABS-" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411482904639517122" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SxlzB88jMcI/AAAAAAAAAv8/kGaIAUdHwlw/s200/DinosaurAnimatronic.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 194px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 246px;" /></a><br />Okay, if you're feeling a little more ambitious, and you might be reading this because you're interested in training and want to try your hand at it but still don't like the drool or accidents or gnawed shoes, maybe an <a href="http://dogstardaily.com/blogs/batteries-not-included">animatronic dinosaur </a>is more your speed.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />But if you REALLY want to get a real live wriggling pup for the holidays, th<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Sxlzp-COG3I/AAAAAAAAAwE/MNgrlm0J-z0/s1600-h/RadarPee.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411483592126503794" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Sxlzp-COG3I/AAAAAAAAAwE/MNgrlm0J-z0/s200/RadarPee.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 238px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 296px;" /></a>ink long and hard about whether or not you have the time and energy during the shorter and colder days of the year that will be necessary to raise your pup right. Because with the real one, to put it mildly, there are gonna be some dirty pawprints.<br /><br />At least consider a Voucher or Coupon for a real pup or dog in the future -- when you're ready to take a real live creature on and shape him or her into your dream dog.Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-41359106801087042212009-12-02T09:56:00.010-05:002010-03-28T20:35:27.243-04:00On a mission - one client's psychosis<a href="http://www.fetchingtags.net/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410658368680089426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SxaFHpIr11I/AAAAAAAAAvk/BFj1tWu6LnU/s400/OnAMissionTag.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 300px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 300px;" /></a>This morning a client has put into words what I imagine some of my clients think as they adjust to a sometimes significant change in their relating with their dogs. Based on a new and better understanding of identifying and then achieving their goals, people are empowered to become <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/benevolent-leader-tbl.html">benevolent leaders</a>. Watching clients take on and work through their issues and achieving success in a reality based universe is uber cool to me.<br /><br />The dog in this story is Winnie, a stray who arrived into the life of Jim and Susie during a wicked bad thunderstorm in August of this year. Winnie's peeps run a business with employees working on their first floor the second and third floor of their house is their residence.<br /><br />Winnie is very sweet but very aloof and cunning and in many ways, shut down, possibly from trauma during her time on the lam.<br /><br />Here's the report from the Files of Susie: (the words in red are evidence of her psychosis!)<br /><blockquote>I have been reading, reading, reading. And some <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/services/training/pet-dog-training">training</a>. When I have food treats and the clicker, Winnie does very well with the <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/search?q=touch">touch</a> and sit. I have also noticed that she’s going to other rooms to “shut down” less frequently. Another<a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/products/toys-and-treats/bully-sticks"> bully stick</a> gone. She likes her beds.<br /><br />This morning’s dilemma….. Winnie doesn’t want to get out of bed which is typical. I’ve already been up, and went for my 3 mile walk outside. Jim’s been up, showered and gone down to the office. At 6:45 am, I’m back from my walk and need to get the house ready for work and employees. I call up to Winnie on the 3rd floor, she doesn’t come. <span style="color: red; font-style: italic;">Rachel would tell me I should have clicker and treat in hand ready to reward good behavior.</span><br /><br />I go upstairs to retrieve her, and she gives me her belly (which I rub because she is so damn cute, bad Susie!). <span style="color: red; font-style: italic;">Rachel agrees bad Susie</span>. I just rewarded bad behavior in that she got a belly rub for not coming. I nudge her to get out of bed and she follows me with joy in her step.<br /><br />We go on our walk. <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/products/training-equipment/euro-leash"> Euroleash</a> on my waist connected to her <a href="http://www.abetterpet.com/products/training-equipment/gentle-leader-easy-walk-harness">gentle leader easy walk harness</a>. Out the driveway, she stops to smell the skunks living under the front porch. <span style="color: red; font-style: italic;">Rachel tells me I could have used the eh-eh which I always forget about, and that I could/should have clicker and treat ready to re-direct and reward good behavior.</span> Ok, I wait, thinking I can’t pull her, and then I get a little irritated when she tries to push her head under the porch so I pull a little (bad Susie!) and she follows me. <span style="color: red; font-style: italic;"> Rachel tells me to use the eh-eh and that I gave her the privilege of sniffing the skunks and Winnie took that privilege.</span> With a clicker and treat ready, I could have had some tricks up my sleeve to re-direct bad behavior. We go down the driveway, turn right, and Winnie stops on the tree lawn. Kind of freezes, standing position, doesn’t want to go further. I scan for <a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/search?q=distractions">distractions</a>…there are none that I can tell. I wait patiently until no tension on leash. We continue to the next tree lawn, she pees, and then stops/freezes again. I decide to wait patiently again until no tension. It’s a stand-off. Minutes pass, I turn my side….I turn my back….I yawn….I bend at the knees to get to her level….I put my two hands on the ground….lots of calming signals. It’s cold out, I need to get inside to shower, my patience is wearing out. I pick her up, walk a couple tree lawns with her on my side, put her down, thinking I can “re-set” her agenda. I try to start walking, same thing. Again, minutes pass as I try the calming signals again. It doesn’t work. I turn to go home and Winnie leads happily and turns into our driveway.<br />I’m bothered for two reasons:<br />1. She didn’t get any exercise<br />2. She didn’t poop (which she normally does on the morning walk). She’s tethered in our office now, content to sleep away in her bed.<br />Lot’s to work on, I know. <span style="color: red;"> Rachel tells me to head out on my next walk with clicker and treat ready. </span></blockquote><span style="color: red;"></span><br /><ul><li><span style="color: red;"></span><br /></li></ul>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-27141035876075856042009-11-22T22:02:00.007-05:002010-03-28T20:36:33.954-04:00Cesar Millan strikes the Sunday NY Times again<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Swn-1fCQa7I/AAAAAAAAAvU/MERaqmNfpMw/s1600/CallieHugRadar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407133022452476850" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Swn-1fCQa7I/AAAAAAAAAvU/MERaqmNfpMw/s400/CallieHugRadar.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: right; width: 242px;" /></a><br />First it was the business section. Now my hallowed Sunday New York Times has gone and sullied the front page of the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/fashion/22dog.html">STYLES</a> section with more of that press that Mr. Milan, he of the Dog Whisperer fame, seems to garner -- this time crediting him with Child Whispering!<br /><br />To his credit Mr. Milan never does not formally or publicly opine about teaching child rearing -- focusing on his dog training methods of discipline and his trinity of Exercise, Discipline and Affection equals happiness and the gist of the <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-10600-Cleveland-Pet-Training-Examiner%7Ey2009m10d11-The-Dog-Whisperer-shouts">Business Section</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/business/11dog.html"></a> article a few weeks ago -- keeps him plenty busy.<br /><br />But he does admit that as a native of Mexico he adheres to a more traditional, hierarchical child-rearing philosophy. He's quoted in the NY Times as saying, "for thousands of years, the elder has always been the pack leader, it's never the child. In America, kids have too many options when they only need one: 'Just do it because.'"<br /><br />I wholeheartedly agree that there are many parallels to parenting children and dogs but there are also differences -- on so many levels -- starting with a more contemporary awareness of human development than just adhering to thousands of years of the traditional Mexican child rearing approach -- and a more scientifically proven awareness of dog development. This is where to begin to parse out that both young, tween and teenage dogs and people really don't want to be pushed on the neck, sshhhttted at or grounded without electronic privileges.<br /><br />Children and pups do crave benevolent leadership in their caretakers -- and clear clues on what to do and how to earn rewards. And when it can be learned and applied that either or both journeys can be a sparkly one.<br /><br />I navigate between the flotsam and jetsam of 3 active daughters, 3 dogs and 3 cats. Every day I get to fulfill my bliss helping others learn how to navigate their own course in pet training. There is a chaotic but lilting harmony enhanced by the need to frequently wrangle dust bunnies that illustrates just how satisfying my own journey has been and continues to be. And while I could sure use some better discipline about getting more exercise, here at Camp A Better Pet we all get and give lots of affection.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SwoAvrY7P4I/AAAAAAAAAvc/7nzKLFplgHs/s1600/CratingDonts.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407135121712824194" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SwoAvrY7P4I/AAAAAAAAAvc/7nzKLFplgHs/s320/CratingDonts.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 320px;" /></a>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-60042943412549922452009-11-16T11:16:00.007-05:002010-03-28T20:37:05.314-04:00Holistic Options • Bach Flower Essences<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SwF-wb1TxmI/AAAAAAAAAvE/_gBQwmA8NJw/s1600/BachFlower1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404740398391477858" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SwF-wb1TxmI/AAAAAAAAAvE/_gBQwmA8NJw/s400/BachFlower1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 185px;" /></a><a href="http://abetterdogblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/benevolent-leader-tbl.html">Benevolent Leaders</a> employ multiple tactics in their campaigns to win converts. Benevolence begins with awareness. You can't be proactive in approach to things if you're not aware that they're there!<br /><br />Holistic orientation is an important component in the human • dog relationship -- whatever the function of the dog. It is your role as the human who has brought the dog into your life [and presumably into your home].<br /><br />Often I am asked about various modalities so I thought since I hadn't done so before, I'd write them here. I'll be covering a wide array but today I'll start with <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homeopathy">homeopathy</a> and <a href="http://www.ask.com/ans?q=flower+essence+for+pets&amp;o=10616&amp;l=dir&amp;qsrc=2872">flower essences</a>, specifically <a href="http://www.bachflower.com/">Bach Flower Essences</a>.<br /><br />Essentially if there is a conflict in a relationship, whether between a person and a pet or a parent and a child or a boss and an employee or a customer and a cashier or...you get the idea, conflict suggests imbalance. Imbalance affects your mood and affected moods can effect behavior and certain behaviors dogs do annoy us.<br /><br />If our being annoyed causes more imbalance because of the stress the dog feels from being a source of disappointment, and dealing with your reactivity, the benefit of a remedy is to balance so stress is reduced and improved relations occur.<br /><br />This is not like taking an aspirin to eliminate a headache but more like learning how to balance on a a see saw or balance board.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SwGDqG5z9SI/AAAAAAAAAvM/Uaf_m7HuIRE/s1600/BachFlower2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404745787252143394" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/SwGDqG5z9SI/AAAAAAAAAvM/Uaf_m7HuIRE/s400/BachFlower2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 247px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Ask yourself what behavior your dog is projecting -- overly confident, very shy, territorial, fearful, possessive, restless, etc., -- and review the recommended essence and the goal for what your pet will tip over towards.<br /><br />It's important to become more observant about the behaviors your trying to address so you can be more aware of even minute measures of change and to be flexible and patient in your approach. Don't define them as human emotions, just observe actual behaviors -- outward or inward ones.<br /><br />I can tell you I use <a href="http://www.rescueremedy.com/">rescue remedy</a> myself which is a combination of several essences you can read about on various sites including the ones included previously and <a href="http://www.rescueremedy.com/pets/">here</a>.<br /><br />If you're anticipating stress (i.e., HOLIDAYS!!!!), Rescue Remedy will help you cope! And deliver a more patient you who can practice The Six Pillars of Dog Training Wisdom and become ever more so the Benevolent Leader.<br /><br />More holistic thoughts coming soon.Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-21289231790592616162009-10-27T14:20:00.007-04:002010-03-28T20:40:49.282-04:00Fall in Love All Over Again<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Suc7cONkeoI/AAAAAAAAAus/nSYoYAatfLw/s1600-h/FallLeaf.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397348034464217730" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Suc7cONkeoI/AAAAAAAAAus/nSYoYAatfLw/s320/FallLeaf.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 176px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 235px;" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Suc72gJEkeI/AAAAAAAAAu0/F4AzbEWfg_A/s1600-h/FallBean.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397348485953786338" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Suc72gJEkeI/AAAAAAAAAu0/F4AzbEWfg_A/s320/FallBean.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; height: 178px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 198px;" /></a><br />Stunning fall weather of late must be the reward for us Clevelanders -- between the Cleveland Browns' depressing record coupled with fuzzy memories of a rather cool and vaguely dissatisfying summer, we are getting our just desserts. Before the inevitable wind blows all the color enriched flora into a decomposing swirl, baring the trees in preparation for, gasp, winter, I'm carving out time with the dogs enjoying crunch crunch walks. The panoply of colors sent my mind into a fantasy mindset the result of which is:<br /><a href="http://abetterpet.com/store" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397349225315251170" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/Suc8hielM-I/AAAAAAAAAu8/tx3k7kU_oqE/s400/FallInLoveWithBeano.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 403px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 447px;" /></a>Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29119317.post-43176034826274462082009-10-19T14:21:00.005-04:002010-03-28T20:42:26.375-04:00Savor the season<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/StyuhOhJQXI/AAAAAAAAAuc/2KVGyfIEB0c/s1600-h/BeanGreenFoliage.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394378339539042674" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e3l2WS3Ka4U/StyuhOhJQXI/AAAAAAAAAuc/2KVGyfIEB0c/s400/BeanGreenFoliage.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 236px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a>Warmer more typical Indian Summer sunshine during what appears to be peak week for the fall foliage of NE Ohio was welcomed today. It reminded me of the need to get out from under deadlines and dust bunnies and To Do Lists and take time to savor the season.<br /><br />When you have a dog who is reliable off a leash, watching your dog(s) run amok among the crunching leaves, dance in the shadows and grin with canine delight is a visual reminder of how simple joy -- so easily lost in the adult world of looming bills, time lines and responsibilities -- can soothe the soul.<br /><br />Take breaks, enjoy the season, and keep practicing basic cues -- touch (come), sit, down, stay, go -- and off leash wood walks (or beach or grassy knolls) can fix a lot of your boo boos too!Rachel Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11019264715626542521noreply@blogger.com0